IN VERITAS
by T.J. Wise
Summary: Damon/Elena/Stefan - Happens after the scene where Elena & Stefan are sitting on the steps of her house and decide they have to call it quits. Stefan walks away broken, Elena walks to the boarding house ready to hand what is left of her heart out to Damon... But that is not exactly how things work out in the end. You can't help the love you feel, no one can. (T to be safe)
1. Raise us to the ground

**AN: This FF happens after that depressing scene where Elena and Stefan are sitting on the steps of her house and realize that they have to call it quits. Funny, that it wasn't until that moment that I realized that I had been so focused on wanting so badly for Damon to get the girl that I forgot it would mean breaking Stefan's heart.**

**I didn't really have time to make sure there are no typos or errors, so I am sorry about that!**

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Stefan got up from the steps in front of Elena's house because he couldn't take another second of the oppressing silence that followed them agreeing to break up. He felt laden with sorrow, but he tried to give the girl who was no longer his girl - but that to him would always be - a reassuring smile as he turned around and walked silently away.

He moved with the practiced ease of too many decades walking this earth, but every step was a struggle.

All Stefan wanted to do was to turn around and beg Elena to stay... He no longer cared if she loved only him, or his brother, or the entire football team... None of that seemed relevant now that they had ended things. No, all that Stefan cared about was that he loved Elena and couldn't imagine life without her... But this wasn't really his choice to make and the truth was that Elena had let him go a long, long time ago, even if she had only said the words now...

The even more bitter truth was that he had allowed her to, made her, let him go... First by sacrificing himself to save Damon which only made her and his brother bond further, then by pushing her away repetitively, followed by almost scaring her to death with his ripper antics and, finally, by giving her an ultimatum to choose when he knew perfectly well she couldn't... Coming to terms with being the instigator, the cause, of Elena letting go of their "epic love" ( "Stupid word" - he muttered to himself ) made it all sting much much more.

.

.

.

Elena watched Stefan walk away with a heavy heart but that was no doubt much lighter than his... She had _never_ wanted it to come to this... Elena had truly tried her best to remain in love with Stefan and _only him_. She had taken plausible deniability to extremes as she fiercely tried to deny her feelings and her attraction for Damon over and over again. But once Stefan asked her to tell him she didn't feel anything for Damon he had opened the proverbial Pandora's Box and she couldn't, _wouldn't_, shut it back again.

It was not that she didn't love Stefan, because she clearly did, deeply and painfully and forever too. She would _always_ love him and he should know that… even if he didn't. The point was that she loved Damon too and, more importantly, could not resist him any longer. She knew that this mere fact meant that she couldn't be with Stefan for another second.

Damon had loved her through it all, her puppy love phase with Stefan and the "I hate you for killing my brother" phase, through all her stubbornness and self sacrifice attempts, through her "let's rescue Stefan" and "lets rehab Stefan" phase and through Denver and her dying and becoming a vamp too. Damon would have her anyway she came, damaged, grieving, emotions switched off, _even half in love with his brother_... Stefan however wasn't like Damon… He would never settle for the same. He wanted her whole heart and she didn't have it anymore to give... So Elena had to let Stefan go even if a chunk of her heart left with him... She couldn't keep him chained to her side anymore…

Tired of thinking, or rather, tired of moping, Elena too got up and decided to walk to the boarding house and share with Damon "the good news". Elena snorted aloud at the ridiculousness of her predicament. Nothing felt good about it...

"Hey Damon, guess what? I'm finally all yours, taraaa"- she said out loud with contempt - "No, no, it is not a joke. Just go check on your brother. His broken heart should be confirmation enough that I have finally chosen *_you_*. Surpriiiiise! Isn't this sooo much better than being like Katherine and loving you both?" - she finished bitterly as she stomped through the underbrush trying to reign in her temper.

There was no logic in being angry for having to break up with Stefan Elena told herself. After all she had chosen, and there was no point in choosing if you didn't embrace the choice. And Elena would be dammed if she would allow Damon to doubt for one second that she was all his.

Damon deserved better than feeling like second best or receiving less than her full commitment, so Elena schooled her feelings and committed her whole self to belonging to Damon with all the heart she had left in her; the part that loved Stefan would just have to shut up and hide in a corner out of view.

Lost in her thoughts, Elena didn't notice the two witnesses to her outburst. Caroline looked up at Damon with a frown, taking in his hollowed out expression. Tentatively she placed a comforting hand on his shoulder and was beyond surprised when he didn't shrug it off.

"Damon I..."- she started.

"Don't." - he bit out quietly but firm and looked at her with pleading eyes.

Caroline understood and just nodded.

"Do me a favor Blondie."

"Anything."

Damon allowed a smirk at Caroline's eagerness. Had he looked less broken she would have been irritated, as it was, she waited quietly for his request.

"Go check on my brother. Try to stop more lines crowding that brooding forehead of his ok?"

Caroline smiled at Damon's demonstration of love for his brother but didn't call him on it.

"On it boss." - she quipped and sped away in a blur of blonde locks.

"Thank you." - Damon replied quietly, hoping she would hear him anyway.

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**AN: More chapters coming soon. Hope you liked it. xoxo**


	2. Some truths you can't deny

**AN: WOW, thank you for the reviews! I am trying to reply all of them but it takes time, so I appreciate your patience. But honestly, I love when a story pops into my head and I find it that other people too where waiting for this scenario, or part of it, to play out. I hope I do not disappoint anyone with how this goes. I too am tired of the way that TV Elena is treating our boys, but I always try, staying as true to her character as I can, to fashion her into a person that Damon deserves. Hence she might end up a little less hateful in this version.**

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Elena arrived at the Boarding house to find it empty and it surprised her that she was not exactly annoyed at having more time to herself. She was glad that Stefan wasn't there, she didn't think she could survive the pain in his eyes, and Elena was somewhat glad she had more time before talking to Damon… _"Mercurial, volatile, endearing, lovable Damon…"_

Actually, when she came to think of it, maybe it would have been a bit more polite to wait for the corpse of her relationship with Stefan to go cold before running into his brother's arms? Maybe she should come back later?

Elena was just about to bolt, glad for an excuse not to face Damon right now, when in came the vampire in question, strutting and self assured in that way that always riled her up.

"Ah, Elena, and to what do I owe the pleasure of your company _Miss Gilbert_?"

"Damon..."

"_Elena_..." - he quipped right back playing into their old pattern.

Elena was no fool and she could tell something was off with Damon.

"Damon, _what's wrong_?" - she asked approaching him carefully, all thoughts of Stefan and the breakup slipping her mind.

Damon looked up at her with a smirk as he poured himself something to drink.

"Nothing is wrong _sweet cheeks_" - he took a swig from his glass - "All tikitiboo."

"_Don't do that._" - Elena said tersely as she stepped forward and placed her small hands on both sides of Damon's perfectly sculpted face - "I know you better than this."- she whispered as she searched his eyes.

Damon flinched from her touch.

"_I'm fine Elena_." – he hissed – "Drop it, ok?" – he warned, leaving no room for argument.

"Okay." - she agreed with a heavy sigh - "Can I have drink too then?"

"Sure thing" - Damon smiled crookedly and handed her a tumbler that he quickly filled up.

Elena nursed the glass quietly for a few moments, trying her best to sit in companionable silence. Of course it didn't last long.

"Damon…"

"What part of "_drop it_" you find it hard to understand Elena?" – he said through clenched teeth.

"You can push me away all you want Damon." – she said with renewed bravado as she climbed on his lap straddling him possessively and burning holes into his skull –"But I am here for you and I am not going anywhere until you tell me what's wrong."

Damon should be pissed as hell at the gull of this newbie vamp to call him on his shit. Then again, Elena's fire had always been the attraction to him, and her lithe body straddling his wasn't exactly helping him to stay true to his resolve.

They glared at each other for what felt like forever, Damon's hand resting at the juncture of her hip, making them even more aware of the proximity, of the intimacy that they very seldom shared. Letting out a defeated sigh, Damon decided to let her have it.

"You are here for me... _at the cost of my brother's heart_." – he said quietly, his words tinged with a sorrow that was hard to fathom.

Elena's mouth went agape, her eyes big and wild. _"He couldn't know, could he?"_

"What… you?" – she managed to mumble.

"_I've heard you_ Elena." – Damon closed his eyes as he let his head drop back in defeat. His traitorous hand, ever the slave of her love, started to run soft soothing circles on her hip nonetheless –"I heard you in the forest…"

Elena gasped in horror.

"_No Damon_!" – she said brokenly grabbing the lapels of his shirt in desperation –"You do not understand!" – she pleaded- "I _do_ love you! You _have to_ believe me!"

"I do…" – he said sadly lifting his head and opening his eyes to face her –"And I love you, _I swear I still do_." - Elena could see the pain rippling in the depth of those blue eyes and it shattered her that she was the cause – "But you still love Stefan too…"

Damon's voice broke at the end and Elena shook her head wildly in denial before bending her forehead to touch his.

"I let him go Damon…I let him go_ for you_…" – she whispered, her voice raw with emotion –"I am sorry Damon… It does not mean I love you any less…" – she sobbed as trails of tears ran down her cheeks – "I came here to give you all the heart I have left… It may not be all of my heart," – she sobbed –"…but all the heart I have left is yours…"

Damon looked up at her, inwardly sighing at her confession, and there was so much love and emotion in his eyes that the tears came running down her cheeks even faster. Elena remained still under his touch as they communicated through this intimate silent stare. She hoped he could read the sincerity of her words in her eyes, she hoped he would still love her after this…

After a while, Damon reached for her face, wiping the tears gently with his thumb, smoothing her hair back, trying to soothe the beauty on his lap.

"Shhh… It's going to be ok…"

"How Damon?…You deserve to have all my heart… And here I am hurting you again…" – she replied brokenly as she nuzzled into his chest –"I love you both so much… And I tried, I really tried Damon…" – she continued getting a bit more hysterical – "I tried to resist, to move on, to forget, to deny… I tried… and in the end I am just like her…"

At her last words Damon pulled her up abruptly so he could stare her in the eyes.

"Shhh… Don't do that to yourself" – he said with emotion –"You have never been like her and you will never be. Katherine would not be here crying over hurting others… She never had a heart in her Elena… You seem to have enough heart for the two of you."

"Thank you…" – Elena replied meekly –"I don't know why, but you always see the best in me…"

"As you have in me…" – he smiled back kindly at her and she couldn't help but smile back – "It's what made me love you in the first place."

Her timid smile lingered for a second before Elena's features morphed again in pain.

"What are we going to do Damon?" – she asked tiredly –"I don't know what else to do… I took action and it broke him… He was so sad Damon…"

"I have an idea… Just not sure how you are going to like it…"

"Anything, anything to make this better!" – Elena answered eagerly

"Gee, what is it about today and eager vampire highschoolers?"

"I'm sorry?" – Elena asked honestly puzzled.

"Never mind…" –Damon shrugged, moving her off his lap and walking to the drinks cart – "We will need a top up for this conversation."

Elena squirmed uncomfortably but nodded, gladly taking the liquid from Damon's hand and praying to God that she would be strong enough to do carry out what he had in mind. How bad out of her comfort zone could it be, right?

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**AN: More soon. But let me know what you think :)**


	3. Out of character

**AN: Hello everyone, sorry that my publishing is going slow. Life has been a bit crazy and my juggling is not so good. Thanks for all the reviews that *I will* eventually reply to. We will have to endure a little bit of Stefan on this chapter. It is needed for the story, but definatly not my cup of tea. xoxo**

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"Why did I agree to this?" - Caroline grumbled aloud to herself - "Oh, right, because I am stupid enough to feel sorry for Damon."

Caroline had searched the town upside down for Stefan; Elena's house; the school; the Wickery bridge; the sacrifice altar; the quarry; the cemetery; the old Salvatore grounds, the Lockwood cellar... All their usual hunting grounds, sentimental and tragic haunts, practically going out of her mind looking for her brokenhearted friend.

What was getting to Caroline was the worry. Since Stefan was prone to dramatic gestures like removing his ring and walking into the sun, she was worried sick of what he might do. It would be just like him to end it all... So she decided that if she couldn't find him by 4 am that she would beg Bonnie to help. Anything to stop Stefan from killing himself for good...

She huffed thinking how much of a drama queen Stefan could be at times, and she was the one they called dramatic... Leaving the haunted mansion, her last hope for finding Stefan, she was about to call Damon and apologize for her monumental failure when she finally got a break in the form of a call from Matt. Apparently Stefan was down at the Grill – "_Not very original Stefan_" – she had thought to herself as she thanked Matt for the heads up and stomped her way there. Of course she should have looked there first, but the Grill was Damon's M.O., not Stefan's.

But there she found him; sitting hunched at the bar, occupying Damon's preferred seat, drink in hand and, apparently, boring poor Matt to death - her ex gave her a "Thank god you are here" smile that spoke volumes.

"Hello boys" – Caroline chirped in her best sunny side up impression - "What's up?"

"Caarrrolllinnee" - Stefan slurred with a goofy smile trying, but failing, to get up to greet her -"My frrrriend." - he announced.

She and Matt exchanged a knowing look and the quarter back took the chance to scurry away fast.

"Hey you," – she cooed – "How are things?" - she asked concerned, for her friend didn't look like his normal self.

"Fucking fantastic!" – Stefan replied with way too much enthusiasm, making Caroline roll her eyes and shake her head.

"Haven't you heard? _Of course you have_!" – he asked gleefully hiccuping –"I am officially a free maaan!" – he made a flying motion with his hands – "Free as a bird! Whoop, whoop! Lucky me!" – he gave her a tight smile before leaning over the bar to grab the bottle and replenish his tumbler messily.

"I see..." – Caroline replied somewhat horrified at his erratic behavior. Should she worry about the ripper coming out to play? Good Stefan wasn't normally given to boozing up, but apparently tonight he was bent on getting shit faced drunk and being ridiculous. Well, it was a better alternative than ripping through the town...

"Yes, I see too now… Very clearly..." – Stefan said wistfully as he took another swing of his drink – "_She_ loves him… _He_ loves her…" – another big gulp – "Do you know who no one loves? _Do you know who Caroline_?" – he turned to her with a wince -"_Me_! That's who! Whooooom..." – his voice was so chirpy that it was downright creepy.

"Come on Stefan, I am sure is not like that…" – she started but was interrupted when Stefan glared angrily back at her.

"_Yes it fucking is Caroline_."- he snapped - "Even you fucked my brother, so don't pretend you like me."- he hissed.

His anger and disjointed logic startled Caroline, making her stance go rigid and alerting Matt who came running to her side.

"Everything ok here?" – Matt asked concerned –"Caroline?"

"Everything peachy, my man!" – Stefan replied with the creepy smile patting the quarterback roughly on the shoulder making him wince at the pressure on his shoulder blade.

Caroline didn't get a chance to mend fences or to calm Stefan because one of the bartenders had gained the stage and was talking on the microphone. Stefan was quickly distracted by this sudden appearance and elated when the bartender announced the start of another karaoke night at the grill.

"Oh goody!" – Stefan smiled like a child on Christmas day and hoped of his seat in a heartbeat.

Before Caroline or Matt could stop him, Stefan was on the stage, microphone in hand, goofy smile on his face. He gave the order for the music to start, greeted the crowd with a slur of nonsensical words and was getting ready to sing his lungs out.

Caroline groaned, clearly the ridiculous part of the evening was about to start. Both Caroline and Matt looked on with dismay at the pitiful display Stefan was making of himself. He had, of course chosen a miserable ballad of a love gone wrong. They fully understood that he was brokenhearted, Matt had even been there because of the very same girl, but Damon had always been a good drunk and, clearly, a good drunk, was something that Stefan was not.

"I think I better call Damon…" – Caroline mused out loud.

"Yeah please, I think you better." – Matt agreed wholeheartedly rolling his eyes –"He might choose to sing "Heartbreak Hotel" next!" - he snickered.

It was Caroline's turn to glare at him.

"What?" – Matt asked taken aback.

"If you are not going to be helpful, don't talk." – she bit back as she dialed Damon's number - "This is hard enough without the commentary..." - she mumbled and closed her eyes to block the wailing that Stefan called singing. Thank god vampires didn't get headaches...

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**AN: Ok, done with the Stefan plot line for now, back to Delena on the next chapter :)**


	4. Sacrifices

**AN: Oh my God guys... I had a moment of sheer panic... I couldn't find the chapters that I had written anywhere! God... it made me wanna puke...But all is well and I found the blessed file, so on to the next chapter.**

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Damon and Elena sat cuddling in the Boarding House large sofa. Elena was frowning, deep in concentration, trying to absorb, understand and accept what Damon had explained to her.

"You understand then?" – Damon asked softly as he caressed her cheek and tried to read her soul through her eyes.

"I do but…" – she hesitated.

"No buts Elena… I want this…"

"You say that, but - but... _how can you_?" – she asked dubious and conflicted.

"I love him Elena, he is my brother…" – Damon answered with conviction.

"I know you love him Damon." – Elena answered exasperated – "But I didn't think you loved him this... this way."

"I don't..." – Damon said pensively –"Not really...But I love you… and him enough to be able to live with this work around."

"I love you too Damon…" – she sighed feeling thorn – "But I am not sure that I can do what you want… That I know how…"

"Do you object to it?" – he asked concerned, a bit of self doubt apparent in his voice and a bit of hope too.

Elena warmed up to this small showing of his vulnerability. She always known that behind his mask, there was a man that felt too much, loved too much.

"I do… and I don't…"- she said hesitantly - "It makes sense… and it doesn't… And _I just don't know how_…" - she whined.

Damon smiled at the sweetness and innocence that sometimes shone through this young girl. She could be a fire cracker when life called for it, but she was still a teenager, very little life experience and a heart that was mostly pure and untainted.

Damon hugged her closer, running soothing patterns on her arm.

"If you trust me, I will show you how Elena."

"I trust you…"- she leaned in further –"I just don't want to hurt… I don't want anyone to hurt anyone…"

"We will _all_ be ok." - Damon professed with devotion as he leaned further and captured her lips softly.

"Even if Stefan does not agree?" - she dared to ask.

"Even then..."- Damon breathed as if in pain -"For then at least we've tried..."

"You promise we will all be ok? – she asked around his delicious lips making the kiss more demanding.

"I promise to _try_ to make it ok for the rest of my days, Elena" – he swore over his torn and battered heart pausing the kiss to look deeply into her eyes.

Elena nodded somberly and nodded her head with conviction.

"I promise too." – she brought her lips to his and resumed the kiss, asking for Damon to claim her lips as if she was all that mattered in this world.

The shrill sound of Damon's phone rang insistently, making the moment less intimate. They both tried to ignore it, but it cramped their style until both vampires couldn't ignore it anymore.

"Just answer it Damon!" - Elena huffed.

"What?!"- Damon barked into the receiver as he pushed himself off a breathless Elena.

He could hear an audible gulp before the caller replied meekly.

"Damon, is Caroline."

"What can I do for you Blondie?" – he answered as gently as he could trying to ignore his blue balls.

"Well, is…"

"What is that god awful noise in the background?" – he interrupted her again.

"That would be Stefan…"- Caroline replied embarrassed.

"You took him to a Karaoke? WTF Caroline? That is not what I had in mind!" – he shouted at the receiver.

"Hey!" – she screeched back –"First, *I* didn't take him anywhere, he came to the grill to drown his sorrows which, secondly, would not have happened if Elena hadn't gone all bitchy on his ass!"

Elena snatched the phone out of Damon's hands before he could react.

"You were saying?" – she cooed into the receiver.

"Oh, hmm… Hi Elena." – Caroline replied vexed under the scrutiny of Matt's disapproving gaze.

"Glad we cleared that out."- Elena replied steely –"Here is Damon." – and she passed the phone back.

"Go on Blondie." – he quipped amused at Caroline being caught.

"Thanks for the heads up _jerk_." – she bit back.

"Anytime." – he replied sweetly –"So you were saying you are at the grill?"

"Yes, and your brother is drunk as a skunk, acting bipolar and belting out all these awful broken heart tunes, spreading the misery around…." – she said in a huff –"You need to come over and do something Damon. Like right now!"

"On it. No need to get your knickers in a twist. I will be there soon Blondie." – the concern on his voice was evident, but he tried to act his usual nonchalant self.

Damon hung up and looked at an expectant Elena who wasted no time asking him questions.

"That god awful noise was Stefan?" – she asked taken aback.

"Yep"

"That was Stefan singing?"- Elena winced.

"Indeed." – Damon replied amused.

"Just to be clear," – Damon rolled his eyes, the shocked routine was getting old – "that was our "I don't sing, I don't dance, I don't do fun" Stefan?" – Elena asked with wide eyes.

Damon smiled at her use of "our" instead of mine - _"This could work"_ – he thought to himself.

"Ah, drunk Steffy does all this and more, much more." – he said in sultry voice and the innuendo didn't go unnoticed.

"Damon!" – Elena slapped his arm alarmed.

"Ouch!" – he winced –"Remember that you are a vampire now?" – he said annoyed.

"Well you deserved it!'- she bit back –"And Caroline is right! You are a jerk!"

Damon rolled his eyes and got up from the couch.

"You love it." – he wiggled his eyebrows – "Ready?"

"She called me a bitch." – Elena pouted and crossed her arms.

"Seriously?" – he raised a disapproving eyebrow –"This is what you want to focus on right now?"

"Hmm, well." – Elena replied vexed, feeling foolish and banal.

"I thought not." – Damon said dryly – "Let's go. It's time for rescuing baby bro."

Elena nodded and allowed Damon to pull her up from the couch towards the door, towards the car that would drive them to the man they both loved and needed to save.

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**AN: Let me know how you liked it :)**


	5. Sour notes

**AN: Are you guys still enjoying this story? I am loosing a bit of my steam so I start letting my doubts get the best of me.. So, if you are enjoying it, let me know ok? It helps :)**

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Damon and Elena arrived at the grill in time to watch Stefan sing the second half of Bruno Mars' "When I was your man". Stefan was every bit the wounded animal they had expected to find, and seeing him in this state was really hard to take. His rendition was so pitiable and strident that it made his brother cringe, but it worked its magic on Elena all the same.

When Stefan spotted her, his pain burned brighter, so he walked forward and sang in earnest looking straight into Elena's eyes; the tune being infused with even more heartache and longing.

" …but she's dancing with another man.

_My pride, my ego, my needs and my selfish ways_

Caused a good strong woman like you to _walk out my life_

Now I never, never get to clean up the mess I made

_And it haunts me every time I close my eyes_

It all just sounds like uh, uh, uh, uh"

Damon rolled his eyes at his brother's dramatic antics, but Elena was pretty much torn in two, Stefan's words and expression hitting the bulls eye of her guilty laden heart. Her ex was in obvious pain and she had been the one to inflict it… She wanted to go to him, to wrap her arms around Stefan and calm his fears... calm her fears... Nonetheless she remained rooted on the spot, a sea of people and messed up truths keeping her and Stefan apart and torn.

With a heavy sigh, Damon wrapped a possessive hand around her arm and yanked Elena forwards. He ignored the growl that echoed from the stage and hoped that people dismissed it too. They soon reached the bar where Caroline and Matt sat watching the show as Stefan followed his ex with a set of all consuming eyes.

" Too young,_ too dumb_ to realize

That I should have bought you flowers and held your hand

_Should have gave all my hours when I had the chance_

_Take you to every party cause all you wanted to do was dance_

_Now my baby is dancing, but she's dancing with another man. "_

When Damon and Elena reached Barbie and the quarterback, Caroline gave her friend a sad smile, but Matt's was more like a wince and Elena's mood soured a little.

Damon noticed the exchange and had to hold out a bitter chuckle in recognition of the fact that Elena had once also trampled Matt's heart. Damon had always known that Petrova women were heart breakers, but it stung all the same to be reminded of it when he knew his heart was susceptible to her whims.

They stood there silently, biding their time as the miserable show continued on stage. Waiting for the song, the wailing and the theatrics to end - hopefully sooner rather than later Damon thought...

"Although it hurts I'll be the first to say that I was wrong

Oh, I know I'm probably much too late

To try and apologize for my mistakes

_But I just want you to know_

I hope he buys you flowers, I hope he holds your hand

Give you all his hours when he has the chance

Take you to every party cause I remember how much you loved to dance

Do all the things I should have done when I was your man!

_Do all the things I should have done when I was your man!"_

As the last notes were playing Damon made a move to get up but it was obvious that Stefan was going for yet another round. The poor bartender had tried again to pry the microphone from Stefan - clearly compulsion wasn't working thanks to the witch's daddy tainting Mystic Falls water supply with vervain - but it was no use. Stefan had snarled at the terrified bartender and it was sheer luck that the lights were low and no one else saw Stefan's vampire visage.

Seeing him push the bartender away Elena turned to Damon disapprovingly.

"Man he is a bad drunk"- she snarled -"Can't you do something about it?"

"It gets worse when his heart gets broken." – Damon replied annoyed at her tone and it earned him another slap from Elena –"You really have to stop doing that Gilbert!" – he hissed at her and Elena had the sense to look contrived.

"Sorry…" – she mumbled –"You just _really_ piss me off sometimes."

"Right back at you." – Damon grinned and quickly kissed the pout forming on her lips - "But you keep the slapping up and I might have to return the favor in kind." - he offered seductively and desire started to color her cheeks.

Caroline was thankful when the new song started and, as Stefan hogged the stage, the lust spell between Damon and Elena got broken. After all, a full on PDA might just tip Stefan over the edge and no one wanted that.

Anyway, no lust could survive the kind of wounded crooning Stefan was dishing out. The younger Salvatore was clearly invested in sharing his misery with whomever would listen, whether they wanted to listen or not. This time however, Stefan seemed to have the right voice for the song, so it wasn't half as bad…

"Never made it as a wise man  
I couldn't cut it as a poor man stealing  
Tired of living like a blind man  
I'm sick of sight without a sense of feeling "

"Subtle Stefan, very subtle." – Damon said disapprovingly under his breath.

"Shhh" – Elena admonished –"He is not doing too bad with this one."- but her breath caught when Stefan stared straight at her, eyes blazing.

" And this is how you remind me  
This is how you remind me  
Of what I really am  
This is how you remind me  
Of what I really am

_It's not like ***him*** to say sorry_

"Come on!" - Damon snorted at the obvious tweak of the lyrics as he glared back at his brother.

"I was waiting on a different story  
This time I'm mistaken  
For handing you a heart worth breaking"

Without taking her eyes from the stage Elena leaned back against Damon and whispered her doubts.

"Errrm, Is he singing to you or to me?" – Elena asked honestly confused, but Damon did not reply as he continue to stare at Stefan.

Caroline had to exercise a lot of restraint not to ask more questions herself.

"And I've been wrong, I've been down,  
Been to the bottom of every bottle  
These five words in my head  
Scream "are we having fun yet?

Yeah, yeah, yeah, no, no  
Yeah, yeah, yeah, no, no"

"Enough!." - Damon huffed and, having had his fill of the teen drama, rolled his eyes and got up.

Elena, Caroline and Matt watched as he walked calmly towards the stage under the weary gaze of his younger brother. Stefan's voice did not falter, but now he only had eyes for Damon.

"It's not like you didn't know that  
I said I love you and I swear I still do  
And it must have been so bad  
Cause living with me must have damn near killed you"

Caroline was itching to ask Elena why on earth would she be confused about who Stefan was singing to. After all, why would Stefan sing about love, heartbreak and betrayal to his own brother? The curiosity was nearly killing her, but the way Damon was approaching the stage held her in a trance. What was he going to do?

"And this is how, you remind me  
Of what I really am  
This is how, you remind me  
Of what I really am

It's not like you to say sorry  
I was waiting on a different story  
This time I'm mistaken  
For handing you a heart worth breaking  
And I've been wrong, I've been down,  
Been to the bottom of every bottle  
These five words in my head  
Scream "are we having fun yet?"

Damon reached the stage with a predator's grace and ascended to the same level as Stefan, his expression calm and unreadable.

The brothers exchanged a look but Stefan kept singing with all his lungs. An amused smirk graced Damon's lips whilst Caroline, Elena and Matt sat on the edge of their seats, barely breathing, waiting for something to happen.

" Yeah, yeah, yeah, no, no  
Yeah, yeah, yeah, no, no  
Yeah, yeah, yeah, no, no  
Yeah, yeah, yeah, no, no"

They all hoped that Damon would choose to be discreet and at least wait till the song ended. They forgot this was Damon; impatient and volatile Damon. So they should not have been surprised when he walked towards Stefan with an easy lilt and casually threw him over his shoulder like a potato sack. Hopefully the crowd would simply think that Stefan was very drunk and that Damon was being a caring friend.

"Damon put me down!" - Stefan protested like the child he had once been but Damon paid no heed.

"Now, now." – Damon admonished like a concerned parent –"Be polite and say goodbye to your audience Stefan. We don't want them to think you are rude." – he quipped.

Stefan continued to struggle as Damon ripped the microphone from his grip and handed it to the startled, but relieved, bartender that Stefan had terrorized till now.

"Damon I am fucking serious!" – Stefan howled – "Put me down!" – he kept pounding his fists on his brother's back but got no reaction - "Damon, you are infuriating!" - he bellowed.

"So people keep telling me brother." - the elder Salvatore replied with an amused chuckle - "Are you coming?" – Damon asked aloud to apparently no one.

Soon enough Elena was by his side, under the angry gaze of an upside down Stefan. She shrugged apologetically at her ex and opened the front door so that the three of them could leave the bar under the curious and puzzled gazes of their friends and many strangers.

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**AN: So far so good? xoxo**


	6. Dynamics

**AN: We are finally getting to the core of the story. :) As a writer, I am not really all that keen on the whole "setting up" the story, but it has to be done, and it's been fun so far. Then I have to decide how much longer after does the story continue. :)**

**Enjoy!**

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A door opened into the darkness of the night and three vampires stepped outside of the noise of Mystic Grill's karaoke night.

Elena, worrying her bottom lip out of nerves, looked behind her to watch Stefan shouting obscenities at his brother and trying to make Damon put him down on the floor. If Stefan didn't look so cross, Elena would have found the situation laughable, what if her ex slung over Damon's shoulder like the little piggy that escaped to the market.

"Damon, I swear." - he hissed as he pounded his fists on Damon's back - "I am going to rip your head off for this!"

"No you won't." - Damon responded rolling his eyes at Elena and making her giggle.

Stefan growled irritated. It was bad enough to be treated this way, but to have it done in front of your ex, the one that just dumped your ass? Now that was just plain demeaning and Damon _should_ know better.

"Put me down Damon! Who the fuck do you think you are to humiliate me like this?"

Damon sighed heavily and finally allowed his struggling and disgruntled brother down on the ground.

"You were acting like a fool Stefan." - Damon groaned.

"Oh, and that gives you the right to act like an ass?"- he seethed, clearly ready to get into a fist fight (so much for being the thinker in the family).

"I _am_ your older brother." - Damon objected as if it justified everything.

"Ha!" - Stefan snorted -"You only remember that when it suits_ you_!"

"Ouch." - Damon gave his brother a pained smile and Elena had to resist the urge to comfort him- "Well, it suits me now, Piccolo."

Stefan stiffened at the mention of his old nickname. Damon hadn't really called him that since his human days and it pulled at his heartstrings.

As Stefan stood there distracted, together, Damon and Elena, unceremoniously shoved him into the back of the Damon's car.

"Hey!" - Stefan protests at the sudden manhandling.

"Be a good boy brother." - Damon chided and the condescending tone irked Stefan even more.

"Great" - Stefan muttered mutinous as Elena and Damon got in the car -"Now I have a big brother _AND_ a big sister." - he sneered.

Elena gasped, turning her head wildly from one brother to the other as her eyes widened and finally settled on looking at Damon pleadingly.

"Relax babe," - he quipped sensing her distress -"Everybody has to be allowed their kinks." - he wiggled his eye browns suggestively.

Elena's hand was immediately in motion but Damon grabbed her wrist painfully.

"Ah ah ah." - he berated -"No more slapping Damon for only _your_ pleasure sweet cheeks."

Elena cheeks flushed in embarrassment, making her huff and yank her wrist out of his death grip as Stefan looked from Elena to Damon speculatively.

"Clearly we will also need to work on your sense of humor." - Damon huffed in return

Stefan observed the exchange and it made him even angrier. When did this intervention become about the two of them? Why did everything have to be about the two of them?

He still felt like he wanted to kick up a stink at being manhandled by his brother... at being treated like a truant child. This little display of the dynamics between his brother and his ex just added fuel to the fire. After all, Stefan reasoned, he was old enough to do as he pleased, and if he wanted to drink his fill and make a fool of himself at Karaoke, then why couldn't he?

"How_ did you know_ where I was?" - Stefan asked despondent crossing his arms over his chest. Not that it mattered, but he wanted to know.

"I could sense you." - Damon dead panned in reply.

"Really?" - Stefan said with a bit too much hope tainting his voice.

Damon lets out an evil chuckle and this time Elena _did_ get around to slapping him, _slapping him hard_.

"_You are such a jerk_!" - she admonished as she turned to Stefan is a soothing tone -"Caroline called us Stefan..."

"Why?!" - he bellowed making Elena recoil at his outburst -"What business is it of hers?"

"We asked her to look for you." - Elena said quietly, feeling contrived. It was close enough to the truth that it didn't matter if it was her or Damon that had sent Caroline after Stefan.

"Really?" - Stefan asked in bitter mockery -"Why? Breaking my heart only once is not enough for you?"

"Stefan..." - Elena started...

"No! You had to rub it in, didn't you?" - he asked with venomous contempt - "Tell me Elena? How long did you wait before you fucked him?"

"Stefan!" - Elena screeched - "I- we- I... we haven't...really" - she gave him an outraged death glare to silence him.

His reply, whether apologetic or hurtful, was interrupted by his Damon's voice.

"Brother." - he said eerily calm looking at him through the mirror -"Be a good boy and _shut the fuck up_ until we get home." - he growled and Stefan had the sense to not say one more word.

Of course it didn't mean that Stefan could not still show his displeasure in other ways. So he just decided to brood and pout in the back seat as the three of them drove back to the Boarding House in heavy silence. Sending death glares to the backs of the front seat occupants and wishing he had some clever words to use as weapons against them.

In the silence of Damon's car, Elena was trying to puzzle out their dynamics; Damon and Stefan's, hers and Damon's, hers and Stefan's, hers, Damon and Stefan's... It was a mind bender and she briefly wondered if vampires got migraines other than the ones caused by righteous witches like Bonnie.

She kept stealing glances at Damon, hoping to find reassurance, but his profile remained stoic and unreadable. When he wanted, Damon was really good at keeping his poker face... She took a deep breath and dared to send a shy glance in Stefan's direction. Elena was met with so much hurt and anger that she instantly turned around again and didn't try looking at her ex for a second time during their tortuous journey home.

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**AN: Hope you liked it :) let me know if you did :)xoxo**


	7. Bring back the old, welcome the new

When they arrived at the Boarding House the silence remained heavy and suffocating. Stefan, looking furious, barely managed to get out from the back seat only to find his brother waiting for him with a derisive look that spelled the kind of trouble Stefan hadn't been in in ages.

The best defense is, always, the offence and Stefan wanted to say something to gain the upper hand, but he knew that look better than he would like to admit. You didn't mess up with that look...

So when Damon grabbed him by the arm with a tight grip that made the younger Salvatore wince and started dragging him inside, well, let's just say that Stefan wasn't exactly surprised.

Aghast by the unnecessary rough treatment of her ex-boyfriend Elena decided to intervene and protest.

"Damon…" – Elena started indignant, but one look from Damon and she knew she better keep her mouth shut. Stefan wanted to laugh at the look working on her too, but he knew better.

Having been put firmly in her place – well, she would fight with Damon later – Elena followed both brothers quietly as Damon dragged Stefan all the way up to his own room and straight into the large washroom. Elena frowned in puzzlement, not quite understanding the sequence of events or what Damon intended to do. From the way he was visibly fuming she had honestly half expected him to throw Stefan in the basement cell for another rehab session.

When they all got to the washroom, Damon automatically toed his shoes off, only freeing Stefan for the second that it took Damon to remove his own shirt off. Then, without pause or hesitation, his hand latching back on to Stefan's bruised arm, Damon headed for the shower, turned it on and placed Stefan firmly under the cold water where he held him with no remorse.

"WTF Damon?" - Stefan spluttered and Elena had to control the urge to laugh by firmly covering her mouth.

"You need to sober up brother and…" – Damon quipped –"well, you stink a little." – he made a disgusted face.

Stefan looked like a mixture of a two year old having a tantrum and a drowned rat. Arms flailing trying to push his brother out of the way, screaming profanities and getting nowhere with both approaches. Damon looked like a grumpy house wife trying to teach her drunken husband a lesson at 2 am in the morning. That was it, Elena couldn't stop the giggles anymore and they ripped through her like a tsunami. It was too much and too funny for her to hold back them back, she was, after all, still a newbie vampire, and controlling her emotions was not yet her best skill.

As Elena's giggles started echoing trough Damon's bathroom, the brother's stopped fighting and looked at her bewildered and a bit miffed. What gave Elena, who was,essentially, the cause for all this drama, the right to laugh at their expense?

Since her laughter wasn't subsiding, they exchanged a quick glance as Stefan nodded and Damon grinned. In less than two seconds a new kind of shrill sound of a squealing and spluttering Elena could be heard echoing through the Boarding House.

"You bastards!" – she screamed as she struggled against their restraining hands as they laughed in conspiratorial brotherhood and held her firmly under the cold water – "Glad I amuse you jerks!"- she snarled unable to see pass the solid curtain of her wet could as she could feel Damon's hands pushing her back against Stefan's wet body and Stefan's hands digging into her hips.

"You always amuse us Elena." – Damon purred and there it was, that sultry innuendo voice again mixed with Stefan's amused chuckles.

Once the restraining arms were gone, Elena removed her hair from her face in an annoyed and petulant gesture. She was ready to go to battle with Damon when a thought occurred to her and her features morphed into an eerily beatific smile. Damon eyed her wearily as she cocked her head and turned to Stefan bashing her eyelashes sweetly.

"How come we are the only ones wet Stefan?" - she pouted invitingly and Stefan's smile blossomed.

Damon's eyes widened as he and Stefan got the real intention behind Elena's question.

"Oh no you don't." – Damon hissed and bolted with two dripping wet vampire on his heels.

Of course he didn't make it far before someone collided with him and sent Damon landing with a thud on his large bed. Next thing he knew he was getting drenched and tickled to death by two set of relentless hands.

"Stop, ha , ha, st- ha" – he couldn't get the words out, the tickling was too much – "St-stop!"

"You hold him down" – he heard Stefan's amused voice command – "Then I can tickle his feet! He has always been sensitive there!" - on cue Damon felt Elena straddle him, eyes blazing with mirth, and pin him with the weight of her body.

Her arms reached for his and kept his arms spread wide to each side of his head. As a result, their noses were practically touching, the breath of Damon's laughter fanning close to her mouth.

As Stefan busied himself with removing Damon's socks for the next phase of the tickle war, Damon had a chance to stop and breathe. When he looked up, he noticed the change in the vampire holding him down. Elena was staring at him with nothing short of hunger. Damon shook his head trying to snap her out of it, but Elena was still a new vampire, and the lines blurred more easily for her. So she did what was instinctual and dove to claim Damon's lips with dedication.

Damon tried to buck her off, making Stefan look up. When Stefan saw his ex hungrily attacking Damon's lips, he yelped as if stung, all mirth and joy leaving him and misery crunching his heart again. The noise broke the spell of Damon's and Elena's kiss, making her weaken her hold and allowing Damon to send her flying to run after his brother.

He caught up with Stefan at the entrance of the house, shutting the door before Stefan could escape and caging Stefan between his arms.

"Let me go…" – Stefan pleaded brokenly leaning his forehead against the door – "I can't stay and watch what was mine belong to you again…"

Damon leaned his own forehead on his brother's neck in a calming gesture.

"Shhh. You won't have to brother." – he whispered quietly and his breath made shivers go down Stefan's spine.

"Damon…"- Stefan said in a whimper – "Don't make promises you cannot keep."

"Stefan" – Damon turned him around, but his brother would not look him in the eyes –"Stefan?" – Damon asked again, reaching for his chin and pulling his brother's face up – "Please look at me."

Stefan shook his head and would not raise his eyes, the pain was too much... he didn't want to hear any more lies.

"Piccolo?" – Damon's rugged voice made it through the fear and with great effort, Stefan rose his eyes timidly.

He felt so very fragile and on the verge of another emotional breakdown. He wanted too much, he felt too much, this was all much too too much…

As Stefan looked up at the sea of blue eyes looking down at him he really wanted to cry… It was almost as if they were human again.

"Stefan" – His brother started –" This, you and I, matters to me more than anything in the world."

"Damon…" – Stefan protested.

"_Anything_ in the world Stefan." – Damon repeated devotedly and Stefan nodded.

"So trust me brother, when I say that you won't have to lose her." –Damon stated with emotion – "Do you understand what I am saying?"

Stefan nodded sadly.

"It will never work Damon…" – he replied in a defeated voice.

"We will make it work." – Damon promised as he grabbed Stefan's shoulders firmly – "Or die trying…"

"I don't know…"

Damon sighed tiredly and ran a hand on his brother's cheek.

"Listen to me." – Damon said in his best authoritarian but soft voice –"It's very late. You had an emotional couple of days, you are tired and soaking wet. Let's sleep on it and we can talk about this tomorrow ok?"

"Tomorrow…" – Stefan echoed, feeling exhaustion settle deep into his bones – "OK Damon… tomorrow..."

"It will be ok Piccolo. Your fratello will take care of it." – Damon cooed as he hugged Stefan to him.

The younger Salvatore let himself be held. Tomorrow he was certainly this would all blow up on his face, but for now he was too tired and weary to fight. The return of his older and protective brother was too good to be true, but tonight Stefan was willing to believe in the lie...

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**AN: More coming soon. R & R please. xoxo**


	8. Full disclosure

**AN: Sorry guys, I am trying my best to complete the chapters but I haven't had a moment to spare! BUT I *do* appreciate your patience, your "follows" and your reviews.**

**Enough of me, let's take a step closer to the wild side...**

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Damon guided Stefan slowly back up the steps, past his own bedroom - the scene of the crime per se - where Elena stood in the doorway, feeling the sting of rejection and at a loss of what to do. Damon's eyes caught her nervous ones and he signaled for her to follow them. Elena hesitated a little but, because she couldn't detect any note of anger in his demeanor, she did follow them, rubbing the spots of her now healed injuries absentmindedly.

As they headed to Stefan's room like a slow procession, Elena kept her head low, feeling bad for having destroyed the moment of levity. Damon had explained to her, in exquisite detail actually, that it was vital that she be cautious with PDA's in front of Stefan. Elena had tried her best to do as she was told, but for a second there, her need to claim Damon just robbed her of any reasoning and she felt the urge to kiss him, so she had… She only hoped she hadn't messed things up too badly… and that Damon... and Stefan, would forgive her…

Although, if she was honest, she thought Damon owed her an apology himself... First for sending her colliding so unceremoniously with a wall mid making out and then for the words... The wall was nothing compared to the words... and she was smarting a little from hearing Damon's confession to Stefan… After all, if what Stefan and Damon had between them mattered more than _anything_ in the world, where did that leave her? Elena was suddenly felling uncertain and insecure about her position in this arrangement… Of course, looking at the way Damon protectively cradled his brother was doing nothing to make her feel less like the third wheel... It was, in all honesty, a bitter pill for Elena to swallow. Up to that afternoon, she had felt certain she was the center of the universe for both Salvatore's... Elena wanted to kick herself for being so foolish, so self centered... so naive... The center of their universe had been Katherine..., a lot had happened since... Stefan and Damon were older and wiser now and they may decide to kick her to the curb if she endangered their brotherly bond...

Elena really didn't want to think about where that left her... Really didn't.

As they reached the stuffy and jam-packed room, Damon sat Stefan gently on an armchair and disappeared into the bathroom under the confused mute gazes of both Stefan and Elena. He came back a second later with a couple of towels. He tossed one haphazardly in Elena's direction and she started to dry herself automatically, not knowing what else to do. She was really feeling out of the loop and ignored… all Damon's attentions where zeroed on Stefan.

Damon lay the other towel on the table, next to the armchair where he had left his brother. He knelled down to carefully remove Stefan's wet shoes and socks as the younger brother tried to keep his emotions in check. Damon's measured and caring actions brought back memories of a youth long gone, of a brother Stefan thought he had lost for good.

When Damon was done with Stefan's feet, he rose up and peeled of his brother's shirt, patting lightly his immobile sibling dry with the towel as Elena watched expectantly. Stefan was so very weary that he let Damon take over, drying his hair, his face, his torso, back and arms with a tenderness Stefan had almost forgotten his older brother could possess.

Elena watched, enthralled by Damon playing the role of the elder brother... because it was so easy to forget that that was what Damon was to Stefan... They fought, they bickered, they had this weird dynamic... but they were brothers and, until now, Elena never truly took it fully into account...

Once Stefan upper body was dry, Damon started to remove his wet jeans and underwear and Stefan made no move to protest even if he could hear Elena's breath catch by his side. He didn't have any energy left today to give his ex anymore consideration, he would fix the damage tomorrow.

Elena watched the whole thing with honest fascination. It was almost as if they had done this before... and of course they had. Without a mother to look after them, she concluded that Damon had probably taken care of a young Stefan many many times... The idea warmed Elena's heart, especially since she had never seen Damon be so attentive and soothing before. Well, nor had Elena ever seen a man undress another before... and, for one reason or the other, it was all very hypnotizing and confusing, so she kept staring with her mouth agape and feeling a stirring of lust and fear in the pit of her stomach.

As Damon revealed the rest of Stefan's body, Elena gasped quietly at his half aroused state. Stefan's eyes snapped to hers momentarily but didn't stay. A faint blush could be seen on his cheeks before he lowered his stare embarrassed by what she was witnessing. Damon looked over his shoulder and glared at her for a second before turning back to continue to dry his brother. Elena understood that she had been told to behave better, but a part of her was also annoyed. How on earth was she supposed to be prepared for her ex-boyfriend being turned on by his brother undressing him? - _"Damon can be such an ass sometimes"- _Elena grumbled in her mind.

When he was sure that Stefan's lower body was all dried up, Damon planted a chaste kiss on his brother's lower navel. Elena wanted to gasp again but she kept her cool, even if it lit an immediate raging fire at her core and she had half a mind to tell Damon off. Damon slowly rose up and planted another kiss on his brother's forehead. Stefan let out a contented sigh and smiled softly as Damon's hand grabbed his and lead him to his bed.

Damon placed his brother carefully in his bed, making sure to make him lay in the middle and covering him reverently with the white sheet. As he made to move away, Stefan's hand instinctively grabbed his arm and Damon turned around to look at his brother and smile kindly at him.

"It's ok Piccolo, I will be back in just a second ok?"

Stefan nodded and relaxed his grip, letting Damon go with a bereft look.

Damon gave him another reassuring smile before looking around for Elena. He found her standing rooted to the spot, looking like she had stopped breathing a while ago. He chuckled quietly, then sauntered straight to her as if all was normal and well in the world. Elena watched him approach, unable to move, wide eyed as if in shock.

Elena opened her mouth to speak, but Damon placed his finger softly on her lips to silence her.

"Tomorrow." – he whispered soothingly as he placed a hand on her cheek and she leaned in with a relieved sigh. The need for acceptance greater than the need for answers.

Elena nodded and stood motionless as Damon reached for her garments and started to unbutton her wet shirt dress. As he exposed her wet bra and panties, Elena glanced nervously at the bed and saw Stefan's gaze pinning Damon's actions. Her head started to spin, so she closed her eyes so that she wouldn't think of it no more.

Under Stefan's expectant gaze, Damon first towel dried Elena's hair, then her shoulders and torso, all the way down to her mile long legs. Stefan's memories brought him back to the feeling of those legs wrapped around him and the loss he felt made him wince.

When Damon was satisfied that Elena was dry, he rose up and reached around to unhook her bra. Elena opened her eyes at the gesture and saw him gazing at her, silently asking for permission. She took a deep breath to steady her nerves. When she nodded, Damon removed the wet garment and, when seeing her breasts for the first time, he couldn't quite stifle the purr rumbling in his chest. He turned apprehensively to look over his shoulder to gauge his brother's reaction. Stefan kindly gave Damon a tentative reassuring small smile that told him it was ok to continue.

After being given Stefan's blessing, Damon started to unhurriedly pat Elena's breasts dry, reserving them double the devotion he had shown to the rest of her body. It took all of Elena's self control not to be consumed by the lust his actions where igniting in her. Not to mention that she was positive that there was no disguising the scent of her arousal either.

When this too was done, Damon knelled down to remove her doubly wet panties. He looked up to see Elena worrying her lower lip and a distinctive blush coloring her cheeks at his silent request. When she nodded, he pulled the material slowly down her legs and, without ever disconnecting his eyes from hers, he patted the last part of her dry, without stealing a single glance at it. Elena didn't know if that made it easier or worse for her to control her urges...Either way, especially considering it was coming from Damon, it was an incredibly sweet gesture.

Satisfied that Elena was dry, Damon rose up to his full height, tossed the towel casually aside and gently intertwined his hand with hers. He led her towards the bed, making Stefan's forehead crease a little further, mirroring Elena's own. However, neither of the younger vampires dared to say anything as Damon lifted the sheet up and tucked Elena next to his brother.

Elena and Stefan laid motionless side by side naked in bed, stiff as boards. Both, painfully aware of their state of undress, of the emotional rawness they were feeling tonight and of the confusing sequence of events taking place. Damon looked at them with a tender smile as he went about undressing and drying himself. Of course it distracted the two vampires in bed, capturing Stefan's and Elena's full attention for the duration of it – Damon had always been a beauty to behold.

Once he was undressed and had patted himself satisfactorily dry, Damon walked to the bed. And, as if he had done this for the last hundred years, Damon got under the sheets right next to Stefan and settled in. When he looked up, he was met by the incredulous eyes of both Stefan and Elena. Their stare was so wide and their Greek statue impersonations so perfect that Damon had to chuckle.

"Relax guys" – he leered – "Tonight is all PG 13, I pinky promise." – he purred as he raised his hands in a sign of peace.

The other two didn't seem comforted or any less nervous by his words. Damon laughed again and shook his head amused.

"Looking at the two of you and the way you are acting, nobody would have believed you ever had sex."

Both Stefan and Elena glared at him with sharp daggers in their stares.

"Come on you two." – Damon sighed – "I'm the one you two are seeing naked for the errm, first time" – he quipped amused – "I should be the one pulling the blushing bride routine."

"As if you were ever a blushing anything." – Elena muttered in spite of herself, eliciting small chuckle from Stefan.

"Appearances can be deceiving my dear." – Damon wiggled his eyebrows playfully and she couldn't help but smile in return – "Do you remember my first Town's Ball brother?"

Stefan smiled nostalgically and chuckled conspiratorially. Elena _tried_ not to get annoyed at them laughing at something they weren't sharing. That was a fight for another day. The important thing was that they were being almost normal, and that, to her, was priceless if somewhat unexpected.

Damon beamed at his brother and at Elena. He could see them both relaxing a little and that was half of the battle won.

"Ok now." – Damon said a little more sternly as he wrapped himself around Stefan's body, not quite missing the sharp intake of breath that his actions caused his brother. –" We will talk about this tomorrow. Now you two, _sleep_."

Stefan did seem to relax a little at his brother's words and at the clear demonstration of affection. Damon caught Elena's eye and motioned for her to mirror him. Elena looked at him uncertain.

"It's ok Elena, he won't bite…tonight." – he quipped making Stefan laugh again.

"Ha ha" – she replied with a huff as she tentatively lay herself sideways and wrapped her body around Stefan's own, reaching for Damon's hand in the middle of Stefan's chest.

It felt weird, but it also felt right and she couldn't explain it. True, it was a bit nerve wrecking, especially since Elena had no idea of what was going on here. But she had been wrapped around Stefan like this before so it was at least familiar. The oddity was having Damon in bed with them, naked and also wrapped around Stefan… Elena decided to stop thinking; she wasn't getting anywhere anyway… So when she felt Stefan's arm wrap around her shoulders to bring her closer, she let herself relax into the recognizable pattern, nuzzling up into his chest as her eyes stared at Damon and the most beatific smile she had ever seen in his face.

"Tomorrow." – they heard Stefan whisper above them as his arm embraced both of them securely to his chest and they all gave into the lull of sleep.

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**AN: Ok, confession, I am *dying* to know what you though of this! Was it believable? Did I go too far? Tell me please! :)**


	9. Awakening

**AN: Thank you for all the feedback :) You, my readers, are the best!**

**Here is another chappie! Enjoy!**

* * *

Elena stirred groggily from her dreams, not quite sure if they were real memories or just the musings of her sleepy mind. She was being awakened by the softest, tenderest, caress to her right cheek... it felt so lovely and loving that she leaned into it contentedly an let out a sigh.

When she finally opened her eyes, Elena was met by sky blue ones, framed by a handsome and kind face hovering over hers.

_"Not a dream then..." - _she thought joyfully to her self - "Damon..." - she whispered and his answering smile took more of her breath away.

The man she had been resisting for so long, the object of her forbidden dreams and desires, inner turmoils and struggles, was looking down at her. His stare beheld wonder and something else that Elena wasn't quite sure how to name, but labels didn't matter so much when he looked at her like that... they never had.

"Hi…" – she whispered happily, letting the smile spread from her lips to her eyes and to conquer her soul. This felt right... so right.

"Hello beautiful." – Damon beamed looking like an earth bound angel in the morning light – "Did you manage to sleep well?"

Elena wanted to laugh with mirth at how normal and effortless this, them, felt.

"Hmmhmm." – she answered non too eloquently - "I think so..." - she huffed as she started to stretch languidly. Suddenly, as the soft sheets caressed her skin, she realized that she was as naked as she could get. Damon chuckled at her shocked reaction as Elena instinctively pulled the sheets up to ensure her body was more covered as she blushed profusely.

The redness on her cheeks only increased when the memory of why she was naked hit her and of course, now she knew that Damon was naked too. Waking up with Damon in her bed was nothing new. Waking up naked in bed with a naked Damon... well...that was a whole other snafu.

"I didn't steal another look."– he said with a debonair smirk as he teasingly traced the edge of the sheet where it met the contour of her breasts – "I swear."

Elena felt sheepish and embarrassed, and somewhat awfully young and inexperienced. Lowering her head and pushing her hair behind her ear, she made an effort to collect herself and look up at him with a coy smile.

"Sorry." – she giggled embarrassed – "Guess this takes some getting use to."

Damon chuckled wholeheartedly, running a lazy finger on her lower lip.

"You are doing just fine." – he encouraged - "Perfectly fine."- and she could hear the awe in his words.

Damon kissed her forehead lovingly, lingering a bit before bringing a mug from behind his back.

"Breakfast of champions?" - he offered it to her.

Elena still hadn't gotten a hold on all her vampire reactions, so once she zeroed on the smell of fresh blood, then it was all she could think of. It made the veins in her face morph immediately and her fangs extend. She bent her head down to hide the transformation from view but Damon would have none of it. As gently as he could, he placed a hand under her chin and raised her face to the light.

"Beautiful." - he breathed and kissed her lips softly making her recover her smile - "Breakfast?" - he offered again.

"Yes please." – she replied hungrily, thinking that, thankfully, Damon didn't get started on a long speech about restraint. Then again, that had always been Stefan's cause, not Damon's… Stefan! Now she remembered!

"Damon! Where is Stefan?"- she blurted out without thinking and then winced as if her words were a bitter fruit on her tongue.

If the question bothered him, the older vampire didn't let it show, replying casually without missing a beat.

"Baby bro went out to get his own breakfast." – Damon smirked and whispered mockingly –"He likes his furry, with a side of dirt."- he quipped, making a face of disgust.

Elena giggled and smacked Damon's lightly as she licked the insides of the mug clean before handing it back over to him. She let her hand rest accidentally on his bare chest where is had landed.

"Plus," – Damon started, putting the mug down. His his fingers twirling bravely on the sheets' edge before raising his eyes back to hers – "Stefan knows that I like morning sex very very much..."- he purred seductively, making Elena gulp at the candor with which delivered the words –"And he thought he needed to give us some space... in case, you know,"- he bit his lower lip lasciviously making Elena's dead heart speed faster- "you were interested in trying some of the house special." – he finished in a sultry voice as she squirmed under the scorching hunger in his gaze.

Looking at him, hearing his words, feeling his desire, being a newbie vampire..., well, Elena simply forgot how to breathe. Actually, some small functioning part of her brain was is awe that she hand't actually spontaneously combust on the spot.

"Damon…" – she breathed raggedly.

"Yes?" – he replied, leaning in and kissing her neck wetly just below her ear, sending more shivers and sensations down her spine.

"I, I…" - she tried to mumble as her eyes rolled back into her skull.

"Relax Elena." – he whispered softly - "Give in..."- he begged as he trailed kisses down from her neck to her collar bone - "Let go..."

"Ahh" – Elena exhaled as he gave her a little blunt bite on her shoulder with his human teeth. The intention clear, the seduction pitch perfect.

She still was reacting too strongly to everything and all this pent up desire was killing her. Elena didn't know if she should run or attack, surrender or conquer. All she knew, all she felt and all she wanted was Damon. Every piece of her was screaming for her to consume him immediately. No regrets, no holding back.

Suddenly, Elena felt Damon shift and wrap his arms around her more tightly. The movement puzzled her until his words made her see some sense in his actions.

"I am going to move us to my room ok?" – he warned, kissing the top of her cleavage – "Just hang on to me."

_"Oh, right"- _Elena thought in her haze_ - "Not in Stefan's bed."_

Her arms automatically encircled Damon's neck as they blurred into motion, two vampires and a trail of white sheets floating behind them like wings. The next second, she found her self gently placed in Damon's bed and the door had shut behind them. She felt safe and on the verge of something momentous, as the world lay forgotten outside and this hour belonged to them and no one else.

Damon took the sight of Elena in his bed, finally in his bed... Stefan's sheets were still curled haphazardly around her body, her toned limbs teasingly escaping the fabric folds here and there, a blush coloring her lovely skin and her doe eyes drunk with desire. He had never seen anything more beautiful... or terrifying... Damon had wanted her for so long, desire had coursed through his body and mind for what seemed like an eternity of want. Love for this woman had cursed him to do so many things already... Was he making a fool of himself? Would she be yet another Petrova to break his heart? Could this really work?

Almost as if sensing his hesitation, Elena propped herself on her elbows and met his gaze boldly. She marveled at the beautiful creature in front of her, the man that always seemed to want her so much. She wished that she had the ability to..., that..., if only she could explain how..., how much she really wanted him too... Unfortunately words were out of her reach for she couldn't phantom them into sentences. So Elena tried to express her love, her need for him with her eyes and her actions, slowly peeling the sheets covering her body and letting Damon's eyes feast on her. She tried to act self assured, but Elena felt awfully shy, but her efforts were repaid when she watched Damon snap out of his reverie and approach her with determination.

"God" – he said almost in anguish – "I have waited so long to see you in my bed." - he growled.

Damon's expression made Elena's mouth dry with desire, the feeling getting more intense as he crawled over to her like the panther that he was.

"You look perfect here in this bed." – he whispered with devotion – "And here." – he pledged, bringing her hand to rest over his heart."

His sincere confession, unintentionally, made tears well up in Elena's eyes, her reaction startling Damon.

"Shhh, shhh." – he soothed her worriedly – "It's ok if you don't feel the same way." – he offered stoically as he misinterpreted the meaning of her tears.

"I do Damon." – she replied brokenly -"I really, really do." - she clumsily wiped the tear tracks from her face with the back of her hands.

"But you are crying…" – Damon replied puzzled as he stroked her cheeks - "Why?"

"Because I am happy to finally be here." – she sobbed.

Damon's expression transformed, worry lifting up from his features and his eyes becoming a clearer shade of blue.

"I made us wait too long…" – Elena sniffled – "I'm sorry…"

"All that matters is that we are here, _now_." – he smiled kindly and she nodded.

"Then kiss me and make me forget the time we wasted."

Damon rolled his eyes at her, amused at her dramatic antics.

"Yes Miss Scarlett, with utmost pleasure." - Damon teased making her chuckle - "Clearly you need kissing badly." – he uttered as he brought his lips down on hers and the world dissolved into the two of them and nothing else.

* * *

**AN: How did you like it? In this FF, this is the first time they exchange a kiss that is not behind Stefan's back or riddled with guilt. xoxo **


	10. Sorry

**AN: It's been slow going, but here is another chapter for you my lovelies!**

* * *

Their first non-clandestine kiss was earth shattering. When Damon's lips collided with Elena's, she thought she had died again and reached heaven this time. When he started kissing her however, she concluded that the kiss was but the gate to paradise. Oh my... She should have known that his lips would be delicious, plump and greedy. She should have guessed that his kisses would be all consuming, thirst inducing and demanding. She should have listened to what her body wanted, to what it had craved, instead of denying it for so long. Foolish woman that she was...

Never had Elena felt a kiss tingle up and down every single nerve of hers, all the way to her essence; an undercurrent of electricity making her feel alive and wanting. Never had such passion been poured into her lips, claiming her body and soul with a ferocity and hunger that she didn't know, till now, that it was possible it existed. More surprising was the discovery that her feelings matched Damon's on every level and at every corner. She too wanted to claim, possess and own every little part of him, flaws and all. Nothing was too insignificant when it came to him, no, Elena wanted him in his entirety, she actually hungered for it like if her very existence depended of making Damon hers.

So ravenous was she, that Elena let her arms roam the expanses of his torso and the curves of his muscles; allowing her eyes to feast on the beauty of him, all raven hair and glorious construction. As her body collided against his, as they intertwined and separated and came back together again, Elena kissed every millimeter of Damon's skin that she could gain purchase to, letting the taste of him imprint into her mind like a tattoo. It still wasn't enough...she wanted more... she hankered after it...

Damon too was lost in their communion, pouring his entire self into the effort of making Elena his. He had waited so long to have her, to claim her, to savor her lips on his. He caressed her curves with the devotion of a man in love, parched for the comfort and assurance of forever, but his movements betrayed the hunger of a man that couldn't believe he would be allowed to keep his prize. So Damon kissed Elena urgently, voraciously, trying to swallow this moment up so it would never leave him even if she did.

It was the curse of this man, this beautiful, jaded, heart broken man, to be second best. All his life he had been the after thought, the second choice and the consolation prize. That's when he was not the unwanted one, labeled evil and unworthy by those he would love or save... No, Damon had never had anyone love him as he deserved and, therefore, he had convinced himself that no one ever would. So he hid under the veil of sarcasm and indifference to hide the wounded boy inside the man no one cared to love. Damon, however, was mistaken. He had been loved...by his mother, then by his friends and many lovers, but most importantly by his brother and, now, the girl in his arms. But Damon never saw the love given for he was a giver, had always been, but he never recognized the face of love because he was too afraid not to be worthy of it...

Her moans and sighs only spurred him and his lust on as he ran his hand over her leg and slowly pealed the sheet to reveal her gloriously naked body. Damon wanted to pause and drink her in, but Elena was greedy and insistent in her love making and pulled him back down to her to ravage his lips once more. The moment she felt his erection rub against her belly, all hell broke loose and Elena hissed in need, abruptly moving them around so that she was straddling Damon, their kiss never breaking as she tried to devour him whole.

Elena stared into his eyes, the flames of lust burning bright in her darkened orbs, and for a moment he saw a flash of mischievousness battle with inexperience. It lasted for a brief second and then Elena's chin took that determined stance that normally spelled trouble of the best kind, and Damon felt her silky touch wrap around his member. His train of thoughts jumbled up as she tentatively pumped him. Damon watched her enthralled as Elena gave him another shy smile that figuratively took his breath away before literally leaving him breathless.

Damon let out loud growl as, without warning, Elena sunk his erection into her mouth. She had moved so fast and dexterously, that Damon bucked wildly at the sensation. Groans escaped his lips like prayers as she would sink him in and out of her lips in an frenzied rhythm. All that Damon could think was that straight laced good girls didn't do that... and they definitely weren't this good at deep-throating...Then again, he always thought there was more to Elena that what meets the eye.

"Jesus!" – Damon bellowed, crumbling like a teenager under her ministrations.

Elena looked up with a satisfied smile, proud at making him come undone. Her pause gave Damon time to think clearly and recover from the mind fog. With a yelp, Elena found herself on her back, Damon positioned between her open tights, looking at her like she was the best tasting thing he had ever seen, mussed hair and drunk on his libido.

Her breath hitched as a lascivious smile spread on her lover's lips, mischief etched in his features, ready to deliver his payback. As Damon's tongue snaked out, her heart stopped. When it gave her throbbing clit a very decisive but brief lick, Elena thought she would simply pass out.

"Ahah" – Elena wailed, pushing her pelvis up, trying to meet his tongue again.

Damon's smile broadened and Elena's eyes rolled into her head when he dove in with full determination and gusto. His tongue and fingers started to assault her core, like an army who's mission was to break her with pleasure. Damon's ministrations brought moans, spasms and moments of delirium, as heat pooled and desire coiled tightly in Elena's lower belly to the point she didn't think she could take it anymore.

"Ah-a-ah, D-Da-mon" – Elena kept panting, reasoning was hard under this level of merciless assault –"S-s-stop or I… ah-h-a..." – she tried to beg for she didn't want to come without him.

Damon ignored her pleas, continuing his pleasuring with almost mordant dedication. He was relentless and unforgiving until he brought the crashing waves of a mind melting orgasm to its conclusion, feeling Elena tremble and quiver around his fingers and tongue, lapping at the juices running free from her sex. He slowed his motions to a more gentle cadence, helping her ride the sensations until they were over. He watched enthralled as she came undone in his bed, a beautiful mess of shivers and olive skin, a victim of his love and sexual duress.

When Elena was finally able to open her eyes, she saw Damon smiling lovingly at her. Chin resting on her navel, running soothing patterns on her hips.

"Wow…" – it was all her brain could muster as she looked down at his goofy expression of adoration.

Damon chuckled happily, coming up to her level and gathering her in his arms.

"You should have come with me…" – Elena pouted despondent.

"It wasn't about me today Elena." – he sighted petting her hair.

"Still…" – she whispered – "You didn't get your treat" - lowering her hand to his erection.

Damon chuckled but pulled her hand up and kissed it softly making her look up at him.

"_When_ I get my treat Elena – and I will get it, make no mistake. "- he said sensuously –"We are not leaving the bed for at least a day."

Elena's eyes widened, her jaw went slack and desire started to pool again. Damon used his index finger to push her jaw closed as he smirked.

"And it won't be something I will fit into my brother's eating schedule."

Elena frowned a little at the mention of Stefan, but at least now she thought she understood the hurried love making.

"But…, but what about… your state?" – Elena asked disconcerted waving in the direction of his obvious hard on.

"It is not the first time you have left me with blue balls Elena." – he quipped and she blushed – "I doubt it will be the last time too."

Elena looked a little affronted at his comment, but when he jumped off the bed and jovially offered her his hand, she took it anyway.

"Shower time." – Damon offered jokingly and she followed him to his washroom.

* * *

**AN" What happens when you try to do too many things at once? You make mistakes... that is what... So I deleted this chapter and had to rewrite it from an old draft... If you are Re-reading this chapter and have a copy of it *before* Sept 22/2013, please let me know because i would love to compare. xoxo**


	11. Aftershocks

**AN: Gee... sometimes life really gets complicated and the hours are not enough no matter how much you want to work on the things you love... I apologize I have been taking so long to update the chapters. BTW, I accidentally deleted chapter 10 by mistake (had to use an old version), so if you have a copy of it before September 22 please let me know ok?**

* * *

Elena bounced her way down the steps towards the first floor of the Boarding House. It had been a long time since she felt so young, happy and stress free and she reveled in the feeling of not being wracked with angst for a change. She should have known it wouldn't last, it never did in her complicated, mystical creatures ridden, life.

As she made her way towards the kitchen, the delicious scent of freshly brewed coffee invaded her nostrils and distracted her, so when she walked in she wasn't prepared to see Stefan casually leaning against the counter. Elena halted as she met his expectant eyes, her giddiness evaporating in one second flat.

"Hey." – he said quietly.

"Hi" – she answered awkwardly _"How long had he been back? Did he heard her and Damon? In the shower? In the bed? Oh God..."_

"Coffee?" – he offered timidly extending a mug in her direction.

Elena replied with a shy smile and approached him slowly - anything to not address the big white elephant in the room, anything...- gratefully reaching to take the mug from Stefan's hands. As she did so, it couldn't be helped, and their hands grazed against each other for a millisecond.

It was all that it took. Elena took a sharp breath intake at the sensation; everything was so much intensely felt with her new vampire senses. Stefan, for all his years, didn't seem to be faring much better.

"Thanks." – she managed to whisper through the suddenly thick air to an equally taken aback Stefan.

Her ex nodded, stuffing is hands in his front pockets as she leaned on the counter opposite him, which was too close for comfort for two people with so much unsaid between them.

It really raked Stefan's nerves that, having been once so comfortable, he and Elena where now walking on egg shelves around each other. As he looked at her, doing her best not to look at him, wrapping her hand around the blessedly hot mug, Stefan let his mind wander to the conversation he had had with Damon this morning...

* * *

_...in the earlier hours of this morning..._

Stefan had opened his eyes groggily, he felt like shit and he knew it was because his vegan version of a vampire diet did not allow for the kind of drinking excess he had indulged last night.

He tried to sit up and only then acknowledged the naked girl wrapped around his also bare body. Stefan had to resist the urge to groan as the memories of yesterday came unwelcome and flooded his consciousness. The name of his ex however did escape his lips, sounding more like a curse that a term of endearment as he detangled himself from her embrace.

"Elena…" – he said hoarsely, his throat like sand paper over gravel.

A small chuckle from the other side of the room made him look up, making him feel a tinge of annoyance at the amused expression on his dear brother's face.

"Morning sunshine." – Damon quipped, pushing Stefan's buttons like only he could –"Guess we are feeling a little rough today?"

Stefan gave an exasperated sight and shot Damon a contemptuous glare as Elena, still sound asleep, rolled over to the other side of the bed and hugged a stray pillow.

"I come bearing gifts." –Damon offered in a voice too cheerful for someone in Stefan's sour mood –"A mug of coffee, and, wait for it, a mug of bambi's blood too."- his brother finished in a self satisfied tone.

Stefan perked up at the idea of coffee and blood, anything to end the pounding inside his head, and made to move of the bed. He stopped on his tracks when he remembered that not only he was naked, but also realized that, to his utter mortification, he had a hard on.

"_Of course I do_" Stefan groaned mentally _"a naked girl has been wrapped like a vine around me just moments ago… Of course the situation needed to become even more awkward.". _To his brother he said:

"Damon, can I have some privacy please?"

His brother chuckled amused.

"If I see anything I haven't seen before I'll throw a dollar at it." – Damon returned in jest.

"Very funny brother." – Stefan replied with a tight smile – "Now just go."

"Oh, is Steffy embarrassed to be seen naked by the big bad Damon?" – he mocked earning another glare from his brother – "Gee, you are no fun Stefan." – Damon huffed throwing his hands up in the air in exasperation – "Come on man! Is not as if you the first guy to wake up with morning wood. Just grow up already!"

Stefan wanted to bite Damon's head off. But he would be damned if he was going to let his brother shame him into hiding in bed. Sullenly, Stefan got up and let the sheet reveal his naked body, trying his best not to feel self-conscious… he had so much to feel self-conscious about… For being naked, for having a hard on, for sleeping naked in a bed sandwiched between his ex and his brother, for still wanting Elena, for being drunk and making a fool of himself… He felt weary just thinking of it… Stefan was so distracted that he did not see his brother approaching until he stood too close for comfort and spoke.

"What is it that scares you so much brother?" – he asked as if teasing but Stefan could feel some emotion coming through –"Is it me? Is it repeating the past? " – Damon leaned in into his ear –"Is it fear that I might actually try to help you out with your little problem?" – Damon asked with lasciviousness pointedly looking down at Stefan's erection.

"Damon…" – Stefan said in warning.

"Maybe I should, maybe I will, maybe I won't." – his breath ghosted over Stefan's ear – "But weather I do or don't want to, the truth is that you will never be able to know for certain." – Damon backed off and placed a steady hand on Stefan's shoulder– "So stop worrying little brother and trust that I am trying to do right by you… and her." – he finished, waving in Elena's direction.

"OK. You've made your point." – Stefan nodded as he licked his dry lips –"So can I go and put some clothes on now? This situation is humiliating enough that I don't need to add to it by being in the nude."

"Sure, sure." – Damon smiled genuinely and quickly ruffled his brother's hair –"But try to keep it quiet, I don't want to wake up princess over there."

"Not a chance." – Stefan snorted –"She sleeps like the dead." – he said before the full meaning of the words hit him and he reacted by covering his mouth in horror.

"It's ok baby bro." – Damon soothed – "In these cases it is always best to find the humor in it." – he winked at his brother and Stefan relaxed a little –"I will be waiting for you downstairs." – Damon said as he walked out of the room.

Stefan finally fully relaxed and reached for a fresh pair of boxers and pulled his jeans up. Then he reached for the two mugs, chasing the blood down with the coffee. He felt much better now that his base cravings and hangover where under control, so he paused to think about the latest developments.

He was still confused at the reasons why Elena and Damon had rescued him last night. His brother had been almost his old self, tending to him like he used to when they were still human and Stefan would run home after some bully had hit him at school. Stefan hadn't seen much of that side of Damon since they turned. Once, when he almost went to war with him, only to not show up in the end; when Alaric was dying; sometimes during the forced ripper detox moments; and always towards Elena…

_Elena… _that was another snafu that was bound to give him an aneurysm to rival any of Bonnie's. Why couldn't things be simple? Why couldn't they love different women? Why couldn't the women that loved them love only one of them? Stefan somewhat knew the answer. he might hate it, but he knew the answer...They had always been, would always be a packaged deal… Whether it was Katherine's influence that made them that way or the fact that they grew up without a mother, the fact is that they had always been inseparable… To this day Stefan carried the emotional scar he got the day Damon left for war… Watching him leave was like having the air sucked out of his lungs, he remember the pain in his chest as he leaned against the door watching his brother's retreating form. At 17, Damon had been 8/10 of his universe, the only other person that mattered was his father, but Damon was almost everything. The possibility of never seeing him again was crippling and not even the years, the fights and the sworn hate had ever erased the feeling of that day. So maybe it had been set even before Katherine placed her lacy heeled boots in the Salvatore State. He and Damon were part of one thing and the same…

Then Stefan remembered Damon's innuendo of moments ago and shivers ran down his spine. When he turned into a vampire, Stefan had finally regained all the lost memories Katherine had compelled him to forget. He had never asked Damon if he too had been compelled when tending to Katherine's twisted whims, but the memories and feelings Stefan recovered unnerved him… He had chosen to ignore them rather than deal with what they meant for him and Damon… But Damon's teasing could only mean he also remembered - of course he did - and knew perfectly well how much the whole thing unsettled Stefan… His brother was clearly going for a books wide open approach to relationship… Stefan wasn't sure he could do that...and in front of Elena of all things...

Another involuntary shiver wracked his body as he pulled a t-shirt over to cover himself. Shaking his head dejectedly, Stefan finally concluded that staying here in this room, pondering what angelic or machiavelic schemes his brother was cooking up would get him nowhere near the truth. No, it was better to talk to the devil itself, walk into lion's cage and be done with it. After all, it couldn't feel worse than being dumped by Elena... So Stefan squared his shoulders and left the room with only one stolen look back at the girl sleeping in his bed…

"I miss the days things were simpler..."- he muttered to himself as he walked downstairs.

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**AN: Here is to hoping you like where this is going. xoxo**


	12. Coming clean

**AN: I am *very aware* that the new TVD season starts soon so this story gets wrapped this week. That is right folks, this is the penultimate (very long) chapter for this story. I MAY do a a part two in the future but I do not want to enter the new season with more than one ongoing story. Why? Because I want to have a chance to write new ones inspired by what happens in the show. Simple as that...**

* * *

Stefan descended the stairs like a man walking the last mile to his execution, slow and measured in his defeated stance. Damon, who immediately picked up on what kind of mood his brother was, braced himself and sighed in frustration.

"Must you always be so broody?" – Damon asked rolling his eyes as he offered Stefan a tumbler of golden whisky.

"A bit early for me Damon, but thanks." – Stefan declined in a condescending tone, keeping his hands in his front pockets and ignoring the actual question.

"Fine. Be that way."– Damon replied with a huff –"The more for me I say!"- he smirked and downed the second glass –"So…"

"So…" – Stefan replied awkwardly looking down at his feet then wearily up at his older brother. He was certain this couldn't come to any good... even if Damon was about to apologize... _"Yeah right...when hell freezes over..." - _Stefan mused to himself.

"You are welcome." - Damon purred.

"Excuse me?" – Stefan replied incredulous –"For what?"- his eyes bulging out of their sockets.

"Oh, I don't know." – Damon said with an almost magnanimous smile –"For saving you from making even more of a fool of yourself? For sending Blondie on rescue duty or for convincing the girl that dumped you for _me_ that she doesn't have to choose." - he waved his hand with a flourish- "The list is simply endless… But you are welcome!" – Damon saluted and drank another glass.

"Are you _fucking_ serious?" – Stefan practically spit, balling his hands by his side instinctively – "Where do you come from thinking that **_I_** want **_your_** help? That **_I_** want your charity OR **_your left overs_**?" – he was shaking with rage –"Elena was _mine_! **_MINE_**!" - he shouted - "_All you do **is ruin my life**_! _You_, **_you_** with your _cockiness_, _your_ _swagger_, _your_ _jests_ and _hatred_! _You_, that are **_so full of yourself, _**_so full_ of careless actions, _mockery and _senseless killings - our relatives, half of the town _and my best friend_. **_You_** that had the _audacity_ of falling in love with **_my_** _girlfriend_ **_again_**, only to mess up with _my_ head!"- Stefan seethed -"_I have nothing to thank you for, **you bastard! I HATE YOU!**_" – he bellowed in fury.

"And there it is" – Damon shook his head sadly as he placed his tumbler down on the table with an eerie calm.

_"Guess you don't like so much hearing the truth." - _Stefan replied bitterly as he glared at Damon defiantly.

"_Listen up you stubborn ass._" – in the blink of an eye Damon had pushed Stefan against the wall, the echoing noise somewhat sickening –"**_I_** had **_enough_** of _your mood fluctuations_, _your_ **_issues_** and _"poor little me"_ routine." - he hissed -"_**You**, brother_, are _even more messed up than me_, and pulling the St Stefan routine once every decade **_does not_** atone for all the sins _**you**_ have made."

Stefan struggled under Damon's grasp in anger and frustration.

"I will say this **_once_** and you better _listen carefully_." – Damon shook his brother a little more forcefully –"**_Are you paying attention?_**"

Being that his wind pipe was being painfully constricted, squashed even, Stefan was left with only nodding as a way of answer.

"_Good_." – Damon nodded in return and eased the pressure on his captive – "_**I love you Stefan**, always have and always will._"

Stefan's eyes widened in surprise as if Damon had grown a second head or announced that he was a fairy.

"I"- he tried to say something but the words got snuffed out by Damon's grip tightening.

"_**I'm** not finished._" – Damon hissed and Stefan nodded weakly allowing his brother to continue –"You really _need_ to grow up and _own up_ to your own mess. **I am _tired_ of being the escape goat for all _your_ guilt.**"

Stefan searched his brother's eyes, taken aback by the passion and sincerity in them.

"**_I_** was the one who took care of you when we were young. **_I_** took the brunt of father's displeasure and beatings _so **you** wouldn't have to._ **_I_** didn't like leaving **_you_** when we were human, _even_ if it meant getting away from our awful father, _so **I** stayed._ **_I_** didn't like sharing the woman _**I loved**_ with an infatuated teenager that only wanted to satisfy **_his_** whims! But Katherine wanted **you** _and **you** wanted her_. And loving is giving those you love everything you can, so _**I allowed it**,_ but what happened with us, _between us,_ _it is **NOT** my fault. **Do you understand?**" _

_Stefan nodded meekly through watery eyes that he was trying to control so no tears would start._

_"**And how dare you say that I ruin your life?** **You** the golden boy, _**_you_**_, the one _that alerted father to Katherine's nature, _**you**_ who got her captured and **_you_** who got _**us both killed**_. **_You _**_who __killed father, **you**_ _who forced me to turn and made me **hate you**_ - _HATE YOU!_"- Damon screeched into Stefan's face -"Then _**you**, careless selfish idiot that **you** are,_ went all ripper on the population of Mystic Falls… _So I had no choice but to leave you... **But I couldn't, could I?** _God knows that **_I_** had your back more times than you had mine… Through the years **_I_** kept an eye on _**you**_, _ran to **your rescue** more times than I can count_, **_cleaned up you mess so you wouldn't be hunted down_**. Maybe **_I_** didn't show my face, **but I was there at _every_ turn**. _And **I** don't need to do **your** kind or hero propaganda, and **I** don't need everyone one to know **that I helped you**, because for **me**, helping is enough_. And **_I_** don't need to go full throttle on smearing campaigns against my brother so that _my_ girlfriend doesn't learn to care for him." -Damon eyes blazed with indignation -"I have made my own mistakes, embraced the bad side of being a vampire and racked up a descent body count, true,_ but I am man enough to **own it**_. And _**I** wasn't the one_ ripping bodies from one coast to the other; drinking humans like happy meals on legs… _**I** was not the one_ going bipolar and switching between a ripper and a blood abstainer to atone for my sins. And **_I CERTAINLY wasn't the one that pissed of an original and terrorized a teenager that loved me to the EDGE OF HER WITS when she was trying to rescue me._**"- Damon finished panting heavily, looking like a dragon about to shoot fire through his flaring nostrils.

Stefan hung his head down in shame, all fight gone out of him as tears streamed down his face. Feeling Stefan's defeat, Damon released him like something rotten. His brother slumped to the floor, head in his hands.

"_I repeat Stefan: **I love you**_. I am _not_ perfect, I don't _pretend_ to be perfect, but I will do _anything_ for those I love, on that you can _always_ count upon." - Damon said tiredly -"The girl upstairs _deserves_ for _you_ to step up to the plate, to _be better_ than this self-torturing, masochistic, brooding, saintlier than thou _pain in the ass_. Elena _deserves_ to be loved and worshiped and **_not_** to be torn apart by the emotional baggage _**you** think_ we have between us. She deserves to be accepted _as she is_, no conditions and no judgments. _I love her Stefan_, _you love her, **and there is nothing more to it**_. There is no past, there is no rivalry, no master plan, _nothing that matters more than us and that girl upstairs_, do you understand brother?"

Stefan did not reply… Damon looked down and noticed his brother was shaking. With a weary sigh he knelled down and placed a hand on his heaving brother's shoulder…

Stefan looked up but was incapable of forming words, so Damon just wrapped his arms securely around him.

"How...how can I trust you?"- Stefan asked brokenly.

"If memory serves, _I_ am not the liar in the family..." - Damon replied with half a smirk and ruffled Stefan's hair.

His baby brother let out a choked groan and nodded... knowing full well who the real liar in the family was.

"It will be ok Stef." – Damon soothed –"Just _no more_ of hiding the elephant in the room behind the velvet curtain. We have _a lot_ of work to do and we will do it together, _the three of us_. We can't change our past Piccolo, but we can try to make a better future ok?" – Damon pulled away to look at Stefan and his younger brother nodded – "And it starts today. So no more crying, no more guilt tripping and no more unhealthy diets."

Stefan's eyes went wide and he shook his head vehemently.

"This is **_not_** a discussion Stef. We will take it slowly and we will find a way for _you_ to be sane and strong. I can't have you going bipolar on her again and I won't have you being weaker than you can be."

"But Damon…"

"No buts Piccolo." – Damon smiled kindly –"We will get you through it. Well…"

"What?" - Stefan asked in a panicked voice.

"Only if you pull your weight in this relationship of course." – Damon finished with a flourish of his hand and a killer smile.

"I don't understand…" – Stefan replied confused.

"Gee, do I have to go over the birds and the bees with you again?"- Damon quipped in mock exasperation –"You know, be a good boyfriend, the usual, be romantic, respectful and loving, take her out on dates, buy her presents, give her orgasms, nothing you haven't done before."

Stefan jaw did practically unhinge and he would have crawled out from under his skin in embarrassment if possible.

"You mean…"- he cleared his throat – "That, I mean, that we are like...literally going to be in a, ahem, fully fledged, you know, three way relationship with Elena?"

Damon chose not to comment at how "teenagy" his brother was sounding. Instead he raised an eye-brow in amusement.

"I thought you didn't like the idea of you and me getting down like that." - he smirked enjoying Stefan's discomfort.

"I- I don't, I m-mean, that is not what, uh, I meant." – Stefan replied running his hands through his hair, feeling vexed under his brother's scrutiny.

"Stefan, what did I say about relaxing and taking it easy?" – Damon said calmly as if talking to a child –"This is an organic, evolving relationship for all three of us. We will play it by ear, we will be careful with each other's feelings and make sure that everyone is comfortable and taken care off. It is not about one queen bitch looking only after herself anymore ok?"

Stefan kept looking at his brother, utter disbelief coloring his features.

"A-and Elena agreed to this?" – Stefan chocked out, wetting his dry lips, because surely _"his"_ sweet Elena wouldn't...Right?

"I can be very charming when I want to." – Damon gave his brother a lazy smile and caressed his cheek –"Would you like a demonstration?"

Stefan swatted Damon's hand away and got to his feet.

"If I can't brood why do you get to tease?" – Stefan bit back indignant putting some distance between them.

"Because my teasing is part of my charm, whilst your broodiness is just plain annoying." – Damon replied with panache shrugging his shoulders as he filled a tumbler – "Now shoo, off you go little brother. Go bother the wild life while I try to be a good boyfriend."- he finished wriggling his eyebrows.

Stefan stood still for a few moments, trying to make sense of everything. Finally, he simply threw his hands in the air with a huff and turned around.

"This will take a lot of getting used to…" – Stefan muttered under his breath as he showed himself out of the house and ran into the woods.

Back in the parlor, Damon emptied his glass and murmured to himself.

"Good boy Piccolo. Good boy..."

He placed his empty tumbler down and rubbed his hands nervously. This could actually all work out... Well, if the girl didn't have a sudden attack of morality and back out of the deal. Just the idea made Damon sick to the stomach...

"The gentle lady awaits..." - he sighed heavily - "Don't screw this up Damon." - he told himself as he ascended the stairs.

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**AN: Last chappie up tomorrow. But tell me how you like this one. xoxo**


	13. Something to believe in

**AN: Oh my... I can't believe we are at the last chapter for this FF. It is almost traumatic to let it go... so, as a compromise, I will leave the door open for your imagination to continue running. Then, *maybe* in the future I will do a part 2 where we can explore in , ahem, more detail this love triangle. Enjoy!**

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"Just how I like it."

"Uh?" - Stefan replied non too eloquently as Elena's voice brought him back from his reverie. When he focused on her she had an amused smile and was beaming at him.

"The coffee..." - she clarified -" It is just how I like it."

Quick to recover, Stefan beamed back and offered her an apple that Elena also gratefully accepted.

"Looks like I still have some valuable tricks up my sleeve." – Stefan smiled charmingly – "Maybe I can even surprise you…,you know, now that you are not so breakable." – he offered a bit disconcerted at his weak attempt at flirting.

Elena, who was in the middle of drinking her coffee, simply chocked in reaction to his words. _"Her"_ Stefan was never so forward! Elena's eyes went wide, her mind reeling _"Did he just proposition me?"_ as she started to cough and splatter in earnest.

Stefan, always the solicitous boyfriend, came to her rescue. He efficiently removed the mug and the apple from her hands, immediately patting her back and moving the hair away from her face.

"Sorry. Bad timing…"- he mumbled sheepishly -"I am no good at being like Damon…"

"You *cough*, don't ha- *cough* have to be." – Elena replied bewildered between sneezes and coughs, feeling like a graceless mess –"I *cough* don't want you to be anyone other than who you are Stefan."- she finishing taking a calming deep breath. _"Apparently vampires could still choke to death." - _she mused in her head.

"You mean that?" – he asked eagerly searching her eyes, a lot of hope and vulnerability showing through as he looked back at her.

Elena gave him a kind smile as she softly placed her hands on each side of his loving face. She could see the sweet boy that had captured her heart, the devotional love that had made her chase him all over the country. Life, the supernatural and circumstances had robbed them of their time together... They had been torn apart and their romance trampled...Yet here they stood, in this familiar kitchen, caught in this familiar dance... and they were so close…

Elena leaned in slowly, very carefully, so that Stefan could stop her if he wanted to. Her eyes searching his, trying to calm the anxiety she could feel bubbling between them. Their lips finally touched... and maybe it wasn't electric like with Damon, but it still felt like home and right... so right. Elena kissed him softly, carefully and lovingly on those lips that had once been everything, letting it all come back to her.

Stefan sighed at the contact and accepted her peace offering with the eagerness that lungs embrace fresh air. His hands, remembering her body, tangled at her sides, rubbing Elena's hips, drinking in this feeling... He had been so certain that he had lost this, them, forever and now… he could almost touch it and it hurt... God, it hurt... Because he wanted to keep it so badly... he wanted to claim Elena so desperately...But what did this all mean?

As if she could read his conflict, Elena moved gently away from the kiss and looked at him pouring love through her eyes.

"I love you Stefan…" – Elena said with emotion –"And I am _truly_ sorry that I can't love only you, just as I am sorry that I can't love only him." - she whispered brokenly -"But it doesn't mean that I want you to turn into each other… Be yourself, let me be myself..." - she begged him -"Damon will always be himself anyways." – she rolled her eyes and Stefan couldn't help but laugh and she smiled at him–"Everything will be ok. We just need to try."

Stefan nodded smiling and placed his hands over hers, pulling them down in his and gathering them over his chest.

"Thank you…"- he said sincerely –"I love you too and I will try, I promise." – he leaned forward to kiss her again but never reached his destination.

"Good job Romeo."- Damon interrupted with a snort, no sign of regret in his demeanor – "I said _woo_ her, not choke her to death!"

He pushed past Stefan and Elena, sending each one to their side as he reached for the coffee machine.

"Hey." – Elena admonished.

"Hey yourself!" – Damon replied seductively turning his panties melting smirk on her.

Elena lost the ability to speak and Damon turned to his brother with a cocky smile, Stefan just rolled his eyes and leaned back on the balcony.

"Listen kiddos, papa bear needs to go and do a blood bag run."– he took a sip of his coffee, and put his mug down –"But I will be back tonight."

With that he turned to Elena, grabbed her startled face and started passionately kissing her. She had one second of looking guiltily over at Stefan, before the sensation became too much. As Damon's hands wrapped around her waist, Elena's eyes closed and she started to melt into the kiss as she tried to crawl into Damon's skin.

Damon felt Stefan shift behind him and shot out an arm to stop him from leaving, locking his brother in his grip..

"What the fuck Damon?"- Stefan whined wanting to avoid the PDA.

Damon unglued himself from a panting Elena and gleefully turned to his brother.

"No fucking brother, I was hoping you would fulfill that boyfriend duty today." – both Stefan and Elena gasped in embarrassment – "And you have to stop running when things get heated... You might miss out on something _interesting_ if you keep that up." - he grinned lasciviously at his incredulous brother -"It was just an innocent goodbye kiss." – Damon said proudly –"Something to remember me by." – he finished looking at Elena who was still flustered from his attack an giving her a soft peck.

"You kiddos behave!" – Damon waved as he walked away leaving Elena and Stefan to stare dumbly at the way he had disappeared.

The awkwardness levels in the room had sky rocketed thanks to Damon's antics. Neither Stefan nor Elena could face each other, and, before they could get back to normal, Damon's face poked around the corner.

"And remember, if you do it in the kitchen, please clean up after yourselves."

"Damon…" – Stefan groaned covering his face in his hand.

"You philistine!" – Elena hissed and threw her apple straight at him .

To everyone's surprise, it collided with his nose, making Damon let out a yelp of pain. Stefan let out a mighty laugh and Elena was between shock and giggles.

"Oh, so that's how you wanna play it?" – Damon purred and Elena's eyes went wide and alert –"Change of plans then…" - he warned, walking slowly into the kitchen.

Suddenly Damon pounced, Elena squealed to escape him whilst Stefan caught him by the shirt and held his brother back.

"Run!" – Stefan screamed between bursts of laughter –"I can't hold him long."

Elena took off like a bullet, giggling like a teenager and running upstairs.

Damon turned around in his brother's grip looking up at him with a devilish smile.

"I could make you let go of me faster." - he breathed seductively as he pushed his pelvis against his brother's.

It took all Stefan's resolve not to cringe, move or react.

"Then make me." – he challenged with a challenging smirk of his own.

Damon's smirk broadened and he got even closer, invading his brother's personal space, his breath fanning over Stefan's skin. Damon slowly grazed his lips on Stefan's cheek all the way to his ear, his eyes taking in and cataloging every minute reaction.

"Good boy, well played Stefan."- he whispered proudly and moved back.

"Now I believe there is a lady that wants' to be chased." – he wiggled his eyebrows and Stefan smiled in return.

"Well, it would be rude to not chase her then." - he cheekily replied and let Damon go.

"Indeed"- Damon leered.

"After you brother" – Stefan offered bowing and offering him first dibs.

"No, let's do this together." – Damon replied placing an arm around Stefan's shoulder and escorting out of the kitchen in pursuit of the fair maiden.

Oh the fun they would have together... It would be the stuff of legends and many, many fantasies.

**~The End~**

**(until part two that is :)**

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**I hope you all liked this little interlude. Reviews are *always* appreciated. xoxo**


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